JP2001517751A - Clean air engine for transportation and other power uses - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] A low-pollution engine (500) that generates power for a vehicle. The engine has an air inlet (510) for collecting air from the surrounding environment. Some of the nitrogen in the air is removed using techniques such as liquefaction, pressure swing adsorption, and membrane-based gas separation. The remaining gas is mainly oxygen, which is compressed and sent to the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is provided with an igniter and inlets for pressurized hydrogen and oxygen containing a fuel such as methane. The products of water and carbon dioxide combustion are expanded in a power generator (560) such as a turbine or piston expander. Thereafter, the combustion products are sent to a condenser (580) where the vapor is condensed and carbon dioxide is recovered or exhausted. Some of the water is returned to the gas generator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to environmentally clean engine designs with zero or low levels of pollution during operation. This clean air engine (hereinafter CLA)
The invention of IRE) is applicable to both transportation vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, trains, aircraft, ships, and the like, and to fixed power generation applications. The design features hybrid, dual-cycle and single-cycle engines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Current technology in the generation of power for transportation purposes basically uses internal combustion gasoline or diesel engines. Also, current technologies for power generation include gas turbines and / or steam turbines. 23.1% of oxygen (by weight), 75.6% of nitrogen and 1.3% of air containing other gases are used to burn the hydrocarbon fuels of these devices. The exhaust produced from the combustion of fuel with air in an internal combustion engine (gasoline or diesel) contains pollutants that are thought to impair the atmospheric environment, such as: The smogs that cause such pollution include total organic gas (TOG), reactive organic gas (ROC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and specific substances (PM).
There is. Approximately half of all pollutant emissions from California's air pollution sources come from road vehicles (1991 Emissions Report, California Air Resources Authority, January 1994). The main sources of this vehicle contaminants are passenger cars and small and medium sized drags.

[0002] A near-future solution that dramatically reduces the large amounts of pollutants emitted by millions of cars and trucks driven daily is not yet in sight. In a 1994 report from the California Air Resources Board, California's per capita emissions of pollutants from vehicles monitored during 1991 were approximately 1.50 lb / day (6.67 N). It is. Because the United States has a population of 250 million,
Based on the data, the daily atmospheric emissions from automobiles in the United States are 18
It is estimated that it will be more than 10,000 tons (1.764 × 10 ⁶ N). In addition, the number of cars driven and the amount of mileage continue to increase, further impairing efforts to reduce smog that causes pollution.

[0003] Acceptable emission thresholds are being rapidly reduced by federal and state governments. To reduce these allowable emissions, the transportation and power generation industries are seriously demanding the development of new low displacement power systems.

With the development of high-capacity and low-cost storage batteries, zero-emission electric vehicles (ZE
Although significant efforts have been made to improve V), as the federal government (Amendment to the Clean Air Act of 1990) mandated to reduce hazardous emissions similar to cars and trucks, Emissions issues are now moving from cars to power plants.

[0005] Current worldwide power generation technologies for power consumers basically rely on fossil fuel-fired engines. In these engines, hydrocarbons are burned with air. As mentioned above, the combustion of air from fossil fuels produces combustion products containing a variety of pollutants. Current U.S. regulatory legislation specifies the amount of air pollutants that can be allowed in a particular location. Pollutant tolerance thresholds have been consistently lowered, and therefore there is greater pressure on industry to find solutions to reduce pollutant emissions in the power generation and other power generation industries. Have been.

[0006] Other energy sources that have been developed to solve the emission problem by studying non-combustion energy sources include fuel cells and solar cells. Many of the technical and economic issues of these alternative energy sources are being solved by developers. However, widespread use of these alternative energy sources in vehicles and power generation facilities has not yet been implemented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention relates to a zero or low pollution vehicle (ZPV) and other transportation power systems (ZPVs).
Railways and ships) and means to develop zero or low pollution power generation facilities. Zero or low pollution can be achieved by removing these harmful pollutants from the supplied fuel and oxidant reactants before mixing and burning in a gas generator or combustion chamber. Sulfur, sulfide, and nitrogen are the major contaminants to be removed from applied fuels that are hydrogen, methane, propane, refined natural gas, or light alcohols such as ethanol and methanol. Since air contains 76% by weight of nitrogen, it can be a major source of pollution that needs to be removed before mixing with clean fuel.

[0008] Cleaning the fuel is simple and must not be complicated. What separates nitrogen in the air from oxygen? This can be done in various ways. For example, nitrogen can be removed from air by liquefying the air and stepwise separating its two major components, oxygen and nitrogen, by a rectifier (described in more detail below). Separation of gases can be achieved by different boiling points of oxygen and nitrogen at atmospheric pressure (162 ° R (−183.15 ° C.) and 139 ° R (−195 ° R.).
. 93 ° C)). The air is at an intermediate temperature (142 ° R (−194.26).
℃)).

[0009] Other nitrogen removal methods include vapor pressure fluctuation adsorption and membrane-based gas separation. In the vapor pressure fluctuation adsorption method, a material that can adsorb and desorb oxygen is used. In membrane-based gas separation, a pressurized air supply stream is permeated through a membrane. The membrane allows one component in the air to pass more quickly than the other, enriching the different components on each side of the membrane. Although a variety of materials are available for such membranes, several different physical treatments are used to successfully separate nitrogen from air.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a hybrid power system that combines an auxiliary electric motor with a Rankine cycle thermal cycle when startup and cooling are required. The engine's thermal power cycle begins by compressing ambient air to high pressure, cooling the air during compression, and bringing it to the air liquefaction temperature during expansion in a rectifier where oxygen and nitrogen separation occurs. . The generated cold gaseous nitrogen is used to cool the incoming air and is then discharged to the atmosphere at near ambient temperature. At the same time, the cold gaseous or liquid oxygen generated in the rectifier is pressurized to the gas generator pressure level and sent to the gas generator near ambient temperature. The gaseous or liquid fuel from the supply tank is pressurized to the pressure level of oxygen and sent to the gas generator where the two reactants are synthesized in near stoichiometric proportions to complete The maximum temperature of combustion becomes high temperature gas (65
00 ° R (3338 ° C)). The hot gases are diluted with a stream of water in the mixing section of the gas generator until the temperature reaches the turbine input tolerance (2000 ° R (838 ° C)).

When the driving gas created from this mixing process uses oxygen and hydrogen as fuels,
When using pure steam or oxygen and light hydrocarbon fuels (methane, propane, methanol, etc.), it consists of a mixture of pure steam and carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ). After the hot gas is expanded in a turbine in driving the vehicle or power plant, a mixture of steam or steam and CO ₂ is cooled to ambient temperature near or below the vapor is condensed into water in the condenser, the Rankine cycle Ends. About 75% of the condensed water is recycled to the gas generator, while the remainder is used for cooling and then discharged to the atmosphere as hot steam. When using light hydrocarbons as fuel, the gaseous carbon dioxide remaining in the condenser is compressed to slightly above atmospheric pressure and converted to solid or liquid for periodic removal, or its exhaust If it is considered harmless to the air environment, it will be released directly into the atmosphere.

Since the thermal cycle requires time to cool the liquefier to a stable low temperature, the Rankine cycle is completed using an electric motor driven by an auxiliary battery until the liquefier is completely cooled. And drive the vehicle. When cooling is complete, the vehicle or power plant is driven using the Rankine heat engine connected to the synchronous generator to recharge the auxiliary battery.

[0013] The combination of the two power systems, also known as the hybrid car, allows for zero or low pollutant emissions in either mode of operation. In addition, the battery for the electric motor can be charged by a zero or low pollution Rankine heat cycle engine, eliminating the need for a separate generator for recharging. As a result, the power supply from the central power plant can be reduced, and the emission source of harmful exhaust gas can be reduced.

[0014] Instead of an electric drive motor or a battery, several control valves are added to the Rankine cycle engine to perform a minimum exhaust open Brayton cycle to cool the Rankine cycle engine liquefier during the time it takes. It is also possible to drive the vehicle by burning fuel and air. This feature is another embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Furthermore, the Rankine heat cycle engine of zero or low pollution has a fixed type in which vehicles such as heavy trucks, trains, ships, etc. which require long continuous operation, and in which the cooling time is not so important for the entire operation cycle. Single cycle heat mode in power plants is also available.

The application of the Otto diesel heat cycle to a low-pollution hybrid engine is also included in embodiments of the present invention. Using these thermal cycles eliminates the need for condensers and recirculation devices. Since the low temperature steam or steam / carbon dioxide gas is recirculated as the working liquid, it can replace the function of the recycle water requirement in the Rankine cycle application described above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A zero or low pollution Rankine heat cycle engine (also referred to as a hybrid engine) operating in tandem with a zero exhaust electric motor according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
Is shown in FIG. The Rankine engine has a dynamic turbine compressor 10,
Reciprocating engine 20, power transmitter 30, heat exchanger 40, turbo expander 50, rectifier 60, gas generator 70, condenser 80, recirculating water supply pump 90, water heater 1
00, a radiator 110 for cooling the condenser. The electric engine includes an alternator 120, a battery 130, and an electric motor 140.

The operation of the hybrid engine starts by starting the electric motor 140 using the battery 130 as an energy source. An electric motor 140 drives the reciprocating engine 20 through the power transmission 30, and also starts a heat engine requiring cooling time of a liquefier consisting of the heat exchanger 40, the turbo expander 50, and the rectifier 60.

The operation of the heat engine compresses the ambient temperature air supplied to the dynamic compressor 2 through the air supply duct 1 from the surrounding environment. The compressor 2 raises the air to a predetermined discharge pressure. Thereafter, the air is sent from the duct 3 to the intercooler 4, where the external cooling means 5 (atmosphere, water, chlorofluorocarbon, etc.) removes the heat of compression. The water vapor condensed from the air is discharged from the drain 6. The air flowing out of the duct 7 of the intercooler 4 at the same temperature as the compressor inlet / outlet is sent to the reciprocating compressor 8 and raised to a predetermined discharge pressure. It is sent from the duct 9 to the intercooler 11 and is cooled again to the compressor inlet temperature. This cycle of compression / cooling is repeated and air exits the intercooler 11 and passes through the duct 12 to the reciprocating compressor 13, from the duct 14 to the intercooler 15, and out of the duct 16, Complete the air compression process.

Next, the high pressure, ambient temperature air is sent to a scrubber 17 where gas and liquid that would freeze during the subsequent liquefaction process are removed. These gases and liquids contain carbon dioxide (from the duct 18a to the storage tank 18b), oil (the pipe 19a).
From the storage tank 19b) and steam (discharged from the drain 21). Oil comes from a variety of sources, including leaks from air compressors. Then the dry air is
It is fed through duct 22 to heat exchanger 40 where it is cooled by the returning cold gaseous nitrogen.

The dry air is then sent to an air treatment unit for separating nitrogen from air, and is ready to supply the above-described nitrogen-free oxygen for combustion. Dry air includes 23.1 wt% oxygen, 75.6 wt% nitrogen, 1.285 wt% argon, and very small amounts of hydrogen, helium, neon, krypton, xenon (
0.0013% by weight in total). The liquefaction temperature of argon is 157.5 ° R
(-185.7 ° C.), and the respective boiling points of nitrogen and oxygen are 139.9 ° R (−
195.4 ° C) and 162.4 ° R (-182.9 ° C). Therefore, the argon not removed will liquefy during the liquefaction process. The remaining small amounts of hydrogen, helium, and neon gases cannot condense above 49 ° R (−246 ° C.), but krypton and xenon liquefy. However, the latter gas is negligible and is considered negligible in the following air liquefaction process.

Thereafter, the drying air is sent from the duct 23 to the turbo-expander 24, where it is further reduced to near the liquefaction temperature before the discharge duct 25, and then to the rectifier 60 (in the figure, a twin tower). Expression). If not previously reduced, in the rectifier the temperature of the air is reduced to the oxygen liquefaction temperature. Preferably, a double tower rectifier 60 as described in detail in Davis, "Physical Principles of Gas Liquefaction and Low Temperature Rectification" (1949, Longman Green Publishing Company) is used.

The air at that air liquefaction temperature exits the lower rectifier heat exchanger 26 and exits the duct 2
It is fed to the lower column plate of the rectifier through 7 for oxygen / nitrogen separation. Air containing about 40% oxygen exits the duct 28 and enters the upper rectification column where it is purified to a higher oxygen concentration. The 96% pure nitrogen liquid is sent in duct 29 from the lower rectification column to the upper rectification column. Gaseous nitrogen with a purity of 99% (1% argon) exits the duct 31 and is sent to the heat exchanger 40, where it cools the incoming air and then from the duct 32 to the ambient temperature and temperature. It is exhausted into the atmosphere at a temperature and pressure close to atmospheric pressure. 95% pure oxygen in gaseous or liquid form (5
(Argon) exits duct 33 and enters a turboexpander compressor 34 where oxygen is pressurized to a predetermined pressure. Thereafter, the high pressure oxygen exits duct 35 and is sent to gas generator 70.

Light hydrocarbon fuel (methane, propane, purified natural gas, light alcohol such as ethanol or methanol) is supplied from the fuel tank 37 to the duct 38,
The fuel is fed into the cylinder 39 of the reciprocating engine, where the fuel is pressurized to a predetermined discharge pressure. Thereafter, the fuel exits the duct and is fed into the gas generator 70 where it is mixed with the incoming oxygen in a stoichiometric ratio such that the maximum hot gas temperature for complete combustion (approximately 6500 ° R (3338 ° C)). You. The gas generator is provided with an ignition device such as an ignition plug for promoting combustion. Although the gas generator 70 of the present embodiment is a preferred form of a fuel combustion type device, other gas combustion type devices as described in another embodiment described below may be used. The products of combustion of the reactants are high purity steam and carbon dioxide gas, and very little liquid argon (4%).

Following complete combustion of the hot gas, recirculated water is injected from line 42 into gas generator 70 and is supplied with a low temperature drive gas (about 2000 ° R (83
Dilute the hot gas to 8 ° C)). Also, the injection of water can increase the amount of combustion products that can be used during the expansion process and the power generation process. Then, the driving gas exits the delivery duct 43 of the gas generator 70, is sent to the reciprocating cylinder 44 and expands, and drives the power transmission 30. The reciprocating cylinder 44 can be replaced by another combustion product expansion device, such as a dynamic turbine as described in a sixth embodiment below. The gas exiting the duct 45 enters the second cylinder 46 and expands to drive the power transmission, and further passes through the duct 47, and at startup, the centrifugal compressor 2 and the battery driven by the electric motor 140. Power dynamic turbine 48 which drives alternator 120 to charge 130.

Then, the gas discharged from the duct 49 is sent to the water heater 100 to transfer the residual heat of the gas to the circulating water sent by the pump 90, and the gas from the water heater is transferred to the duct 5.
Exhausted from 1 and sent to a condenser 80 at a pressure close to or below atmospheric pressure, where condensation of steam into water and separation of carbon dioxide takes place. The condensed water is drained from line 52 and sent to pump 90 to raise the water pressure to the level of the supply pressure to gas generator 70. Most of the water output from pump 90 is sent through line 53 to water heater 100 to receive heat from the exhaust gas of turbine 48 and then through line 42 to gas generator 70. Sent. The remainder of the water sent from the pump 90 passes through the duct 54 and is sprayed from the nozzle 55 to the radiator 110 (evaporative cooling). The coolant for the condenser gas is circulated through the duct 56 to the radiator 110, where it is pumped by the fan 57 to release heat to the atmosphere.

The gaseous carbon dioxide remaining after the vapor has condensed exits the condenser 80 and is sent from the duct 58 to the reciprocating cylinder 59, where the pressure is below atmospheric pressure (if the pressure in the condenser is below atmospheric pressure). After being slightly compressed, it is delivered to the duct 61. The compressed carbon dioxide may be stored in storage tank 62 and converted to solid or liquid form for easy periodic removal, or discharged to atmosphere if atmospheric exhaust is acceptable. It does not matter.

It should be noted that the hybrid engine produces the necessary moisture on its own when needed, thus eliminating the problem of freezing the steam Rankine cycle in cold environments (below the freezing temperature). In addition, since a required amount of oxidizing material is generated when the engine is required, many safety problems relating to oxygen storage can be solved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second embodiment of the present invention features a hybrid engine in which hydrogen is used instead of hydrocarbon fuel. When using hydrogen as fuel,
No carbon dioxide is generated, and only high-purity steam is discharged from the gas generator 70. As a result, the entire device relating to carbon dioxide can be omitted, and the other parts basically need not be changed. However, in order to maintain the same six-cylinder engine as in FIG. 1, the hydrogen fuel of FIG. 2 is supplied from the fuel tank 37 to the duct 63, fed into the reciprocating engine cylinder 59, exits the duct 64, and exits the cylinder of the reciprocating engine. It is sent to 39 and further sent to the gas generator 70 through the duct 41.
Thereby, two-stage compression of low-concentration hydrogen can be performed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the third embodiment of the present invention utilizes the Brayton cycle during start-up and cooling of the air liquefier (mode I), and during cruise operation, idling, and continuous operation. It features a twin-cycle engine that utilizes a Rankine cycle (Mode II). In connection with its characteristics, high-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder 13 (
Taken out of the bypass air duct 71 from the air compression described in the first embodiment)
It is adjusted by the valve 72. Also, the circulating water to the gas generator is adjusted by the valve 73,
The combustion temperature of the fuel and oxygen and the discharge temperature of the gaseous mixture sent to the duct 43 for performing the cycle operation are controlled.

The thermal power cycle operation in these two modes is shown in FIGS. Mode I
The working liquid of the power cycle operation in consists of steam, carbon dioxide and gaseous air. When operating in mode II, the working liquid (as described in the first and second embodiments)
If hydrocarbon fuel is used, steam and carbon dioxide are used. If hydrogen is used, only steam is used.

The open Brayton cycle shown in FIG. 4 has two stages of air compression 74a and 74b and is used to drive the engine during Mode I, and in the operation of the Rankine cycle in Mode II, FIG. Is performed to cool the liquefaction apparatus.
Note that in this embodiment, there is no need for an electric motor, a battery, and an alternator.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention includes all the components of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Further, two reheaters 150 and 160 are added to improve the performance of the engine. Although the example has two reheaters 150 and 160, any number of reheaters may be used depending on the requirements of each application.

The operation of the engine is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the following points. The hot gas delivered from the reciprocating cylinder 44 passes through a duct 81 to a reheater 150 in which light hydrocarbons and oxygen are additionally supplied from ducts 88 and 89, respectively. The heat of combustion of the reactants in the reheater 150 raises the temperature of the supplied gas to a temperature level at the outlet of the gas generator 70. The reheated gas exits reheater 150 and passes through duct 82 to reciprocating cylinder 46.
To expand and exit the duct 83 and into the reheater 160 where oxygen and fuel are additionally supplied. The heat of combustion of the reactants in the reheater 160 again raises the temperature of the supplied gas to the temperature level at the gas generator 70 outlet. The reheated gas exits the duct 84 and enters the dynamic turbine 48 as described in the first embodiment. The fuel to the reheater 160 is
It is supplied from a duct 86. Oxygen is supplied from a duct 87.

The fifth embodiment of the present invention includes all the components of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Further, two reheaters 150 and 160 are added to improve the performance. The engine operates in the same manner as described in the fourth embodiment except that the engine uses hydrogen fuel. FIG. 8 shows a Rankine cycle of an embodiment in which regeneration and reheating are performed. Regeneration is indicated by 91 and two heatings are indicated by 92a and 92b.

As shown in FIG. 9, a sixth embodiment of the present invention employs a fourth heater using the reheater shown in FIG.
As in the embodiment, except that the whole device comprises a dynamic compressor and a turbine. The device is suitable for the high power supply (> 1000 shaft horsepower (SHP); (735.5 kw)) required in railways, ships and auxiliary power systems.

The Rankine engine unit of the present embodiment includes dynamic turbo compressors 200, 210,
220, power transmission 230, heat exchanger 240, turbo expander 250, rectifier 26
0, gas generator 270, second reheater 280, second reheater 290, water heater 3
00, a condenser 310, a circulation pump 320, and a condenser cooling radiator 330. The electric engine unit includes an alternator 400, a battery 410, an electric motor 4
20.

The operation of the engine is started by starting the electric motor 420 using the battery 410 as an energy source. The electric motor 420 drives the dynamic floor compressor 201 through the power transmission 230, and at the same time, the valve 202 is opened and the valve 203 is closed. Thus, the engine starts in the Brayton cycle mode. As the engine speed increases, the valve 202 is gradually closed, the valve 203 is gradually opened, and the mode slowly shifts to the Rankine cycle mode, so that the liquefier can be cooled. During this transition period, the electric motor 420 is used to maintain a predetermined power and speed until the Rankine cycle state becomes stable.

During operation of the heat engine, air is sent from the duct 204 to the turbo compressor 201 and is pressurized to a predetermined discharge pressure. Thereafter, the air is sent from the duct 205 to the intercooler 206, where the external cooling means 207 (air, water, chlorofluorocarbon, etc.)
Removes the heat of compression. The condensed water vapor is discharged from the drain 208. After being sent from the intercooler 206 to the duct 209 at the same temperature as the compressor inlet, the air is sent to the compressor 211 and pressurized to a predetermined discharge pressure. Then, the air is sent from the duct 212 to the intercooler 213, and is cooled again to the inlet temperature of the compressor 201. This compression / cooling cycle is such that air is delivered from the intercooler 213 to the duct 214 and into the compressor 215,
16 and enters the intercooler 217 and is sent to the duct 218 to be repeated until the air compression process is completed.

Next, the high-pressure and ambient-temperature air is sent to a scrubber 219 to remove the gas and liquid (carbon dioxide, water vapor, and oil) frozen during the liquefaction process.
The carbon dioxide is discharged from the duct 221a, processed, and stored in the tank 221b. The oil is drained from the duct 222a and stored in the tank 222b. The water vapor is drained from the duct 223 and discharged to the outside.

Then, the dry air is sent from the duct 224 to the heat exchanger 240 and cooled by the returned liquid nitrogen. Further, the turbo expander 22 exits from the duct 225.
6, where the air temperature is further reduced to near the temperature of the liquid air before exiting duct 227 and entering rectifier 260. The air exits the rectifier heat exchanger 228, passes through a duct 229 at the temperature of the liquid air, and is fed into the lower column plate of the rectifier where oxygen / nitrogen separation takes place. The liquid containing about 40% oxygen exits the duct 231 and is sent to the upper rectification column,
There, it is refined to a higher% oxygen concentration. The 96% pure nitrogen liquid is circulated in duct 232 from the lower rectification column to the upper rectification column. Gaseous nitrogen of 99% purity (1% argon) exits duct 233 and enters heat exchanger 240, where it cools incoming dry air and then passes through duct 234 to ambient temperature. And exhausted into the atmosphere at a temperature and pressure close to the atmospheric pressure. Out of a gaseous or liquid 95% pure oxygen (5% argon) duct 235, it is fed into a turboexpander compressor 236 where the oxygen is pressurized to a predetermined pressure. Thereafter, high pressure oxygen is supplied to the duct 23
7, the gas is sent from the duct 238 to the gas generator 270.

A fuel such as methane, propane, purified natural gas, or light alcohol such as ethanol or methanol is supplied from the fuel tank 239 to the duct 241, sent to the compressor 242 of the turbo expander 250, and discharged at a predetermined rate. Pressurized to pressure. The pressurized fuel exits duct 243 and enters duct 244 into gas generator 270, where the maximum hot gas temperature for complete combustion (about 6500 ° R (3338 ° C)).
Is mixed with the supplied oxygen at a stoichiometric mixing ratio such that The products of combustion of the reactants are high purity steam and carbon dioxide gas, and very little liquid argon (4%).

Following complete combustion of the hot gas, recirculated water is injected into the gas generator via line 245 and the low temperature drive gas (about 2000 °
R (838 ° C.)). The driving gas exits the delivery duct 246 of the gas generator 270 and enters the turbine 247 of the turbo compressor 220, where the gas expands and drives the air compressor 215 and carbon dioxide compressor 273. Gas exiting duct 248 is sent to reheater 280 where turbine 2
The heat extracted from the operation of 47 is supplied. This heat is transferred to reheater 280 by duct 2
This is due to the combustion of the fuel added from 49 and the oxygen added from the duct 251.

The reheated gas exits the duct 252 and exits the turbine 2 of the turbocompressor 210.
It is sent to 53 and expands to low pressure. With the power created by this inflation gas,
After driving the alternator 400 and the compressor 211, the gas exits the duct 254 and enters the reheater 290. Therefore, the heat generated by the gas turbine drive is supplemented with the heat of combustion of the fuel added from the duct 255 and the oxygen added from the duct 256.

The reheated gas exits duct 257 and enters turbine 2 of turboexpander 200
58 to drive the compressor 201 and the power transmitter 230. Exhaust gas from the turbine exits duct 259 and enters water heater 300, where the remaining exhaust heat of turbine 258 is used to preheat water recycled to gas generator 270. Will be Further, the gas exits the duct 261 and enters the condenser 310 at a pressure near or below atmospheric pressure, where condensation of steam to water and separation of carbon dioxide takes place.

The condensed water is discharged from line 262 and sent to pump 263 to raise the water pressure to the level of the supply pressure to gas generator 270. Most of the water output from the pump 263 is sent to the water heater 300 through a pipe 264 to absorb heat from the turbine, and then sent to a gas generator 270 through a pipe 245. The remainder of the water sent from the pump 263 passes through the pipe 265 and is sprayed from the nozzle 266 to the radiator 330 for evaporative cooling. The coolant for the condenser gas is
The heat is circulated to the radiator 330 through a pipe 268 by a pump 267, where heat is released to the atmosphere by a pump operation of a fan 269.

The gaseous carbon dioxide remaining after the condensation of the steam exits the duct 271 and is sent to the compressor 273 of the turbo compressor 220, where the atmospheric pressure (if the pressure in the condenser is lower than the atmospheric pressure) After being compressed a little higher, the storage tank 275
Sent to The compressed carbon dioxide may be periodically converted to a liquid or solid form for easy removal or, if permitted by local environmental regulations, released to the atmosphere.

The seventh embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, includes the liquefier of the previous embodiment, but utilizes the intermittent but natural combustion process of the Otto cycle as a thermal power engine. I have. In this embodiment, there is no need for a device for steam condensation and water recirculation.

The Otto cycle steam or steam / CO ₂ heat engine of the present example includes, in addition to the liquefier described above, oxygen from duct 35, fuel from duct 41, circulating steam from duct 301, or A premixer 430 is provided for premixing the steam / CO ₂ at the appropriate ratios of 20%, 5% and 75% by weight, respectively. The pre-mixed gas is sent to the reciprocating piston 302 via the ducts 303 and 304, is compressed, and is ignited by an ignition device similar to the current Otto cycle engine. After the drive stroke, the steam or steam / CO ₂ gas is sent through ducts 305 and 306 to the dynamic turbine 48 and then into duct 47. Some of the exhaust gas is returned to premixer 430 via duct 301.
The gas discharged from the dynamic turbine 48 is discharged from the duct 307 to the atmosphere.

As shown in FIG. 11, the eighth embodiment of the present invention is similar to the seventh embodiment, except that a diesel power cycle is used. In the present system, preheater 440 mixes oxygen from duct 35 with steam or steam / CO ₂ from duct 308 at an appropriate mixing ratio of 23% by weight and 77% by weight, respectively, and The gas mixture is delivered to the reciprocating piston 309 via the ducts 311 and 312 and compressed to a high pre-ignition temperature. A high-temperature fuel of about 5% of the total weight of the gas mixture in the piston cylinder is injected from the duct 313 and burns under a constant pressure. If necessary, equip the ignition device in the combustion cylinder. As the piston moves to the bottom dead center of the power stroke, the hot gas expands rapidly. The steam / CO ₂ gas is exhausted to a duct 313 and sent to a dynamic turbine 48 via a duct 47. Some of the exhaust gas is sent from duct 308 to preheater 440. Then, the exhaust gas from the dynamic turbine 48 is discharged from the duct 307 to the atmosphere.

FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram showing a basic type low-pollution engine 500 conceptually showing the first to eighth embodiments. Rather than identifying a particular device, FIG. 12 illustrates each stage of the overall power generation cycle. Further, in the engine 500 of FIG. 12, the rectifiers and other liquefaction devices of the first to eighth embodiments are replaced with a more efficient gas separation plant 530. Further details of another example of this gas separation plant 530 are shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 and are described in detail below.

The basic low-pollution engine 500 operates in the following manner. Air from the surrounding environment is pumped into air compressor 520 through air inlet 510. Air compressor 5
20 pressurizes the air supplied from the air supply inlet 510 and sends the compressed air to the gas separation plant 530. Various gas separation techniques can be utilized for the gas separation plant 530 such that rich nitrogen gas from the gas separation plant 530 can be discharged from the rich nitrogen gas outlet 532 and rich oxygen gas can be discharged from the rich oxygen gas outlet 534. . The rich nitrogen gas outlet 532 is typically adapted to return to the surrounding environment. The rich oxygen gas outlet 534 is connected to the combustion device 550.

In the combustion device 550, the rich oxygen gas fuel from the gas separation plant 530 is mixed with the hydrogen-containing fuel from the fuel supply unit 540, and the combustion is performed in the combustion device 550. To reduce the temperature of the combustion products in the combustion device 550 and to increase the flow rate of the vapor or steam / carbon dioxide working liquid exiting the combustion device 550, the combustion device may include water or carbon dioxide. A diluent is added.

The working liquid is sent to an expander 560 such as a turbine. The turbine is connected to the air compressor 520 via a power transmission unit 562 to drive the air compressor 520. FIG. 12 illustrates a rotating shaft as an example of the mechanical power transmission unit 562. As another example of driving the air compressor 520, the power absorber 57
It can also be used to drive an electric motor capable of driving the air compressor 520, generating electricity with zero. The expander 560 is also connected by a power transmission unit 564 to a power absorber 570 such as a vehicle generator or an automatic transmission. The inflator 560 drives equipment within the gas separation plant 530,
The power transmission unit 566 is also connected to the gas separation plant 530.

The working liquid is discharged from a discharge pipe 572 of the expander 560. Discharge pipe 572
Are connected to a condenser 580. The condenser is provided with a cooling line 592 through which the coolant flows, and the coolant condenses the water component of the working liquid supplied to the condenser 580. A water and carbon dioxide outlet 590 is also provided for discharging excess water or a water / carbon dioxide mixture from the condenser. further,
A conduit for water or water / carbon dioxide diluent extending from the condenser 580 is also provided to return the water or water / carbon dioxide diluent to the combustion device 550.

As is clear from the description, the air compressor 520 is the turbo compressor 1 of the first embodiment.
Basically the same as 0. The gas separation plant 530 is also the rectifier 60 of the first embodiment.
And basically the same. The fuel supply unit 540 is basically the same as the fuel tank 37 of the first embodiment. The combustion device 550 is basically the same as the gas generator 70 of the first embodiment. The inflator 560 is basically the same as the reciprocating cylinders 44 and 46 of the reciprocating engine 20 of the first embodiment. The power absorber 570 is basically the same as the power transmitter 30 of the first embodiment, and the condenser 580 is basically the same as the condenser 80 of the first embodiment. Therefore, the schematic diagram of the basic low-pollution engine shown at 500 in FIG. 12 can also explain the power generation cycle of the present invention. Although the similarity between the basic low-pollution engine 500 of the present embodiment and the first embodiment of FIG. 1 has been described, the similarity can be applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 13, a basic low pollution engine 600 featuring regeneration is illustrated. The low-pollution engine 600 featuring regeneration shown in FIG. 13 is the same as the basic low-pollution engine 500 of FIG. 12, except that the processing of the working liquid discharged from the expander 660 is changed to regeneration. . That is, the components 510, 5 and 5 of the basic type low pollution engine 500 shown in FIG.
20, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, each equipped with an air inlet 610, an air compressor 620, a gas separation plant 630, a fuel supply 640, a combustion device 650, an expander 660, and a power absorber 670. Have been.

In particular, in the low-pollution engine 600 characterized by regeneration, the working liquid is supplied to the regenerator 674.
Is discharged from the discharge port 672 connected to Then, the working liquid is discharged from the regenerator outlet 676 of the regenerator 674. Regenerator outlet 676 is connected to condenser 680. In the condenser 680, the working liquid is cooled by the action of the coolant flowing through the coolant channel 682, and is separated into carbon dioxide and water. Carbon dioxide is discharged from the carbon dioxide outlet 684 of the condenser 680, and water is discharged from the water outlet 686 of the condenser 680. The water outlet 686 is connected to a water feed pump 688. The excess water is discharged from engine 600 at a water excess outlet 690.
The remaining amount of water is sent through a regenerator water channel 692 to a regenerator 674 where it is preheated. Water or steam from regenerator 674 is returned to combustor 650 through water dilution channel 694.

A carbon dioxide outlet 684 of the condenser 680 is also connected to a regenerator 674 for preheating carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide from the regenerator is discharged to a carbon dioxide channel 696 connected to a carbon dioxide compressor 697. Carbon dioxide compressor 6
97 is a carbon dioxide outlet 6 for removing excess carbon dioxide from the engine 600.
It is connected to 98. If necessary, a portion of the carbon dioxide is passed through a carbon dioxide diluent flow path 699 for use as a diluent in the combustion device 650.
You can return to.

Referring to FIG. 14, a basic low-pollution engine 700 with a bottom cycle is illustrated. Like the low-pollution engine 600 featuring regeneration of FIG. 13, most of the low-pollution engine 700 featuring the bottom cycle also includes the basic type of FIG. 12 up to the step of discharging the working liquid from the expander 560. Similar to the low pollution engine 500. Therefore, the low-pollution engine 700 featuring the bottom cycle has an air inlet 710, an air compressor 720, a gas separation plant 730, a fuel supply 740, a combustion device corresponding to the components of the engine 500 of FIG. 750, an inflator 760, and a power absorber 770, respectively.

The working liquid discharged from the outlet 772 of the expander 760 is supplied to the heat recovery steam generator (
HRSG) / condenser 774. The employed liquid is condensed, and water from the condenser 774 is discharged from a water outlet 775, and carbon dioxide from the condenser 774 is discharged from a carbon dioxide outlet 776. The carbon dioxide outlet 776 is connected to a carbon dioxide compressor 777, an excess carbon dioxide outlet 778, and a carbon dioxide diluent flow path 779 for returning to the combustion device 750.

The water outlet 775 is connected to the water feed pump 78 connected to the excess water outlet 781.
0 and a water regeneration flow path 782 in which water is regenerated in the bottom cycle regenerator 787. The water discharged from the bottom cycle regenerator 787 passes through the water dilution channel 783 and is returned to the combustion device 750.

The HRSG / condenser 774 and the regenerator 787 include a bottom cycle including a bottom cycle boiler 784 that boil water of the bottom cycle from the discharge working liquid fed into the HRSG / condenser 774 through the outlet 772. Driven by the unit. The upper cycle section also has a bottom cycle turbine 786 and a bottom cycle regenerator 78 that cools the steam from the bottom cycle turbine 786 and heats the water sent to the water dilution channel 783.
7 is included. The bottom cycle section also includes a bottom cycle condenser 788 that is cooled by the coolant in the coolant line 789. Therefore, a working liquid, such as water in the bottom cycle, is sent from condenser 788 to boiler 784 where it is heated back to gas. Note that the HRSG / condenser 774 and the boiler 784 are integrated and perform heat conversion but no mixing. The working fluid of the bottom cycle is then sent to a turbine 786 to generate power to be applied to a power absorber 770 or another component of a low pollution engine featuring the bottom cycle 700.
After exiting the turbine 786, the working liquid is cooled in a regenerator 787 before returning to the condenser 788.

The gas separation plants 530, 630, 730 of FIGS. 12 to 14 can be any type of device or system as long as at least nitrogen components can be removed from the air. For example, as described in the first to eighth embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, the gas separation plants 530, 630, and 730 may be provided with a rectifying device such as the rectifier 60 of FIG. A liquefier for separating nitrogen from air by liquefaction may be provided.

However, the liquefaction process is not the only process that removes at least some of the nitrogen from the air. Other processing methods are available to achieve that purpose. Processing methods such as those described below can be used in place of the cryogenic liquefaction process described above.
An example of a method that can be used in the gas separation plants 530, 630, and 730 is a pressure swing adsorption plant 800 (FIG. 15). The pressure fluctuation adsorption treatment is also called vacuum pressure fluctuation adsorption, and uses a material capable of adsorbing and desorbing oxygen or nitrogen such as synthetic zeolite. Vacuum pressure swing adsorption can also be used to separate oxygen and nitrogen from air.

Generally, this process utilizes two beds that can vary in pressure from higher than atmospheric pressure to lower pressure. Each bed performs a series of cycle operations from adsorption to desorption and regeneration, and then back to adsorption. The two beds operate alternately so that one adsorbs while the other desorbs. Therefore, the bed alternately produces a gas with a high oxygen content. In this process, a gas mixture having a wide range of oxygen purity can be generated. As an example, oxygen with a purity of 90% to 94%, as used in many industrial fields, is available from Praxair, Inc., 68810-5113, Connecticut.
It can be produced using a commercial vacuum pressure swing adsorption device such as Danbury, Old Ridgebury Road 39, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 15, the configuration of a standard pressure swing adsorption plant 800 is illustrated. First, the air inlet 510 and the supply compressor 520 are the same as the air inlet 510 and the air compressor 520 of the basic low-pollution engine 500 shown in FIG. Preferably, a filter 515 is provided between the air inlet and the feed compressor to filter particles from the incoming air. The compressed air from the supply compressor 520 passes through the first inlet line 810 and the first inlet line valve 815 and is sent to the first enclosure 820.

The first enclosure 820 comprises a suitable material capable of adsorbing and desorbing oxygen or nitrogen. One of the materials available for that application is zeolite. First
Of the two outlets of the enclosure 820, the first oxygen outlet 830 is connected to the first valve 832, and the first nitrogen outlet 835 is connected to the first nitrogen valve 836.
The first nitrogen outlet 835 is connected to the first nitrogen outlet 8
It is connected to a nitrogen compressor 837 which pressurizes the gas from 35 to atmospheric pressure. Actually, the exhausted gas from the first nitrogen outlet 835 and the first oxygen outlet 830 is not pure nitrogen or oxygen but a concentrated gas having a high content of nitrogen or oxygen.

The first oxygen outlet 830 is connected to a surge tank 870 having a valve 875, and is further connected to an oxygen supply pipe 880. A second enclosure 850 is arranged in parallel with the first enclosure 820. The second enclosure 850 is also loaded with a suitable material capable of adsorbing and desorbing oxygen or nitrogen. The second supply line 840 is connected from the supply compressor 520 via the second supply line valve 845 to the second enclosure 850. A second oxygen outlet 860 from the second enclosure 850 is connected to a surge tank 870 through a second oxygen outlet valve 862. The second nitrogen outlet 865 of the second enclosure 850 is connected to a compressor 837 via a second nitrogen discharge valve 866. By the cycle controller 890, the valves 815, 832, 83
The opening and closing operations of 6, 845, 862, 866, and 875 are controlled.

A typical operation sequence of the pressure fluctuation adsorption plant 800 is as follows. First, all the valves except the first nitrogen outlet valve 836 are closed, and the pressure in the first enclosure 820 is reduced to the atmospheric pressure or lower using the nitrogen compressor 837. Then, the first nitrogen valve 836 is closed. Next, the first supply inlet valve 81
Release 5. Since only the first supply inlet valve 815 is open and all other valves are closed, air is pumped from the supply compressor into the first enclosure 820.

As the pressure in first enclosure 820 increases, first enclosure 820
The material inside begins to differentially adsorb different molecules in the air. For example, a material that can adsorb nitrogen at high pressure may be selectively used. As the pressure drops, adsorption changes to desorption.

That is, when the material adsorbs nitrogen at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure and desorbs at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, the pressure of the first enclosure 820 increases to adsorb the nitrogen, and the remaining oxygen-enriched gas is removed. The valves 815, 832, 836, and 875 operate in order to flow freely from the first oxygen outlet 830 of the first enclosure 820. When the pressure of the oxygen enclosure 820 is lower than the atmospheric pressure, the material in the first enclosure 820 desorbs nitrogen, and at the same time, the second nitrogen discharge valve 836 is open. In this way, when nitrogen is adsorbed, the remaining gas in the first enclosure 820 becomes oxygen-rich and is discharged from the first oxygen outlet 830,
When the nitrogen inside is desorbed, the nitrogen becomes rich in the first enclosure 820, is discharged from the first nitrogen outlet 835, and is sent to the nitrogen outlet 839.

The zeolite material in the enclosure 820 contains a necessary amount of nitrogen (or oxygen).
Has the advantage of a residence time for adsorbing water. During that time, no oxygen-rich or nitrogen-rich gas flows out to the oxygen supply line 880 or the nitrogen exhaust port 839. Therefore, the valves 815, 832, and 836 are closed, and the first enclosure 8 is closed.
It is effective to adsorb nitrogen (or oxygen) to the zeolite material inside 20 and use a second enclosure 850 similar to the first enclosure 820.

Similarly, the valves 845, 862, and 866 are opened and closed to open the second enclosure 850.
Then, the first enclosure 820 is operated in the same manner as described above. When the material in the second enclosure 850 is adsorbing nitrogen (or oxygen), the treatment in the first enclosure 820 is reversed and desorbed to the zeolite material, so that the first enclosure 820 and the second enclosure The lines are connected so that the alternate operation between 850 and 850 is repeated. As is apparent from the description, when it is necessary to increase the residence time of the adsorbent or to increase the amount of oxygen-enriched gas separated from air, a similar device is provided on the first enclosure 820 and the second enclosure 850 side. May be added. As time elapses, the operation efficiency of the material that adsorbs and desorbs oxygen or nitrogen in the first enclosure 820 may decrease. In the case of synthetic zeolites, it is possible to regenerate by heating or suitable means. Therefore, when the efficiency of the material in the first enclosure 820 starts to decrease, the heat treatment is performed or the zeolite material is replaced. If the adsorbent is configured to adsorb and desorb oxygen from nitrogen, the operation of the pressure swing adsorption plant 800 as described above may be adjusted to separate oxygen from nitrogen.

Referring to FIG. 16, an example of another apparatus or system used in the gas separation plant 530, 630, 730 is illustrated in detail. In such a membrane-based gas separation system 900, component separation of the air is performed by passing the incoming air stream through the membrane under pressure. The pressure gradient across the membrane allows the most permeable component to pass through the membrane faster than the other components, thereby enriching the component in the product and, at the same time, removing the component from the incoming air stream. Can be reduced.

The flow of the air passing through the membrane can be performed by a plurality of methods as described below. For example, 1)
There is a Knudsen fluid separation method based on a difference in molecular weight between gases, 2) an ultrafine porous molecular screen separation method, and 3) a dissolution diffusion separation method based on solubility and mobility coefficients.
In the case of the solution diffusion method, air is first dissolved in a polymer and diffused in the thickness direction.
It evaporates from the other side of the product stream.

In this example, several types of films can be used, each having advantages under specific conditions. For example, a cellulose acetate membrane has a good separation coefficient between oxygen and nitrogen, but a low bundle density. The thin film composite membrane installed on the superporous polysulfone substrate has a lower separation coefficient than cellulose acetate, but has a high bundle density even at the same pressure difference. By repeating the treatment, the oxygen concentration in the product stream can be increased. For example, if a membrane is permeated twice, the concentration of oxygen in the air becomes almost 50%.
% Higher.

The film method described above is performed at a temperature close to the atmospheric temperature. The rise in temperature above ambient due to the rise in temperature may be caused as a rise in temperature as a result of pressurization of the incoming air flow to create a pressure differential across the membrane.

In another membrane separation method, an electronic ceramic membrane is used. Electroceramics are ionic solid solutions that enable ion transfer. Oxide ions require a high temperature (approximately 800 ° F. (426.7 ° C.)) to overcome the solid oxide lattice energy, due to their size and charge, in order to obtain the desired mobility. The electroceramic membrane method can further integrate the power generation described in the present invention because the waste generated from the power generation operation can be used to achieve the desired operating temperature of the membrane. For example, FIG.
The expander 560 and the gas generator 550 as shown in FIG. 7 are configured such that the working liquid discharged from the expander 560 has a temperature at the outlet 572 of 800 ° F. (426.7 ° C.) or higher. The working liquid can then return to the heat exchanger and heat the electronic ceramic membrane to 800 ° F (426.7 ° C) for use in the gas expansion system 530.

Oxygen ions can move through the lattice thanks to the pressure difference across the membrane. On the high oxygen partial pressure side of the film, four electrons are received and two vacancies are filled, so that oxygen decreases.
On the low oxygen partial pressure side, vacancies increase due to the adverse effect. Then, the oxide ions on the low partial pressure side are removed by liberation of oxygen. The diffusivity in a film is determined by the mobility of ions. The mobility is a characteristic that differs depending on the material, and depends on the size, charge, and arrangement of cations in the lattice. As a material constituting the electronic ceramic film, there is yttrium-stabilized zirconia.

Referring to FIG. 16, another example of a membrane-based gas separation system for use in a gas separation plant 530, 630, 730 is shown at 900. In the gas separation plant of this embodiment, an air inlet 510 and a feed compressor 520 of a feed compressor 520 similar to the air inlet 510 as shown in FIG. . The compressed air is sent to a junction 910 where it is combined with the return volume returned from the membrane installation chamber for reprocessing. The junction outlet 915 is
It is the only outlet at the junction 910. The junction outlet 915 is connected to the first membrane enclosure 920.

The first membrane enclosure 920 has a membrane for dividing the inside of the enclosure into two sections, and a supply port. The enclosure has two outlets. One of the outlets is on the same side of the membrane as the inlet and the other outlet is on the opposite side of the inlet to the membrane. For membranes that allow oxygen to permeate faster than nitrogen, a rich oxygen outlet 9
24 is located downstream of the membrane and the rich nitrogen outlet 926 is located on the same side of the membrane as the input shoe 915. . For membranes that allow nitrogen to pass faster, the arrangement of the outlets is reversed.

The flow rate having passed through the junction 915 is sent from the supply port to the first membrane enclosure 920. Since oxygen passes through the membrane faster in the first membrane enclosure 920, the gas passing through the rich oxygen outlet 924 has a higher oxygen content than the standard atmospheric oxygen content, and the rich nitrogen outlet 926 has a higher oxygen content. The nitrogen content is higher than atmospheric standard conditions.

The rich oxygen outlet 924 is connected to the second membrane enclosure 930,
The oxygen is supplied from the rich oxygen supply port 932 to the second membrane enclosure 930. Second
The membrane enclosure 930 has the same configuration as the first membrane enclosure 920. Therefore, a membrane is also provided in the second membrane enclosure 930, and the membrane rich oxygen supply port 93 is provided.
There are two outlets on the opposite side of 2, an ultra-rich oxygen outlet 934 and a second outlet 938 on the same common side as the rich oxygen inlet 932 of the membrane in the second membrane enclosure 930.

The ultra-rich oxygen outlet 934 is connected to the engine 500, 600, 70 described above.
0 is connected to an oxygen supply 936 used inside. The gas passing through the second outlet 938 typically contains oxygen and nitrogen at the same content as standard atmospheric conditions, only higher in pressure. From the second outlet 938 to the junction 910
And merges with the air discharged from the supply compressor 520 and again passes through the first membrane enclosure 920 described above.

The nitrogen is supplied to the third membrane enclosure 940 from the nitrogen rich outlet 926 of the first membrane enclosure 920, and is sent to the third membrane enclosure 940 from the rich nitrogen inlet 942. The third membrane enclosure 940 includes the first membrane enclosure 920 and the second
The configuration is the same as that of the membrane enclosure 930. The third membrane enclosure 940 is also provided with a membrane, and has two outlets from the third membrane enclosure 940. One of them is an ultra-rich nitrogen outlet 944 located on the same side of the membrane of the third membrane enclosure 940 as the rich nitrogen inlet 942. The ultra-rich nitrogen outlet 944 is connected to the ambient atmosphere and is used in processes where a high nitrogen-containing gas is desired.

The other outlet of the third membrane enclosure 940 is connected to the rich nitrogen inlet 942 of the membrane.
The third permeate flow return portion 948 is located on the opposite side of the third permeate flow. The third permeate flow return 948 is connected to the junction 910 to process the still-pressurized air discharged from the third permeate flow return 948 of the third membrane enclosure 940. The air from the third permeate return section 948 has its components separated from the second permeate flow return section 938 and the supply compressor 5.
The ones from 20 are basically the same.

Various types of membranes can be used in the first membrane enclosure 920, the second membrane enclosure 930, and the third membrane enclosure 940, and depending on the types, the membranes in the membrane-based gas separation plant 900 shown in FIG. Enclosures 920, 930, 940
The configuration of the pipeline for transporting the gas between the transmission enclosures 920, 930, and 940 and other components does not change.

Although various methods for separating nitrogen and oxygen from air have been described above, the description of this embodiment is not for identifying a gas separation method or an apparatus. For example, the above methods can be effectively combined and applied from economic and other concerns. Rather, the above embodiments utilize the above separation method to achieve the objective of enriching the amount of oxygen in the gas supplied to the combustor and reducing the corresponding amount of nitrogen in the gas supplied to the combustor. It is intended to show what can be done. By reducing the amount of nitrogen sent to the combustion devices, such as the combustion devices 550, 650, 750, the amount of nitrogen oxides as a product of combustion in the combustion devices 550, 650, 750 can be reduced, and Low pollution combustion type power generation becomes possible.

Further, from the above description of the invention, it will be apparent that various different modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein and as set forth in the accompanying claims. Would. The above description describes the best mode for carrying out the invention, and enables one skilled in the art to practice the invention, which limits the scope of the invention disclosed herein. You can understand that it is not a thing.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention demonstrates the industrial ability to provide a low pollution or zero pollution combustion power generation system. Such systems can be used in transportation or in stationary power environments. Many governments regulate the amount of pollutants generated by power generation systems. The present invention addresses the need for a low pollution combustion power generation system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly efficient combustion type power generation system.

[0093] Another object of the present invention is to provide a power generation system that can also produce water as a by-product. In areas where water is scarce, the by-product water produced by the present invention is particularly useful.

[0094] Another object of the present invention is to reduce the use of air to burn hydrocarbon fuels so that nitrogen oxides, a by-product of the combustion of the power generation system, can be reduced or eliminated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a combustion type power generation system having a gas processing plant for separating nitrogen from air.

[0095] Other objects of the present invention that will show their industrial applicability will become apparent from a perusal of the above description of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid power system for use in vehicles and other applications, wherein the fuel reactants are light hydrocarbons such as methane, propane, purified natural gas, and alcohols (methanol and ethanol). FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the present invention and its components and connectivity.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention, a low or low pollution hybrid power system for application to vehicles and others, wherein the fuel is gaseous hydrogen.

FIG. 3 is a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid power system to be applied to a vehicle or the like during cruise driving or continuous driving, in which an engine is operated in an open Brayton cycle mode at start-up or immediately thereafter. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention that emits a small amount of contaminants.

FIG. 4 is an open Brayton cycle with intercooler operation between compression stages, FIG.
FIG. 4 is a graph of the temperature / entropy of the working liquid showing the first cycle operation (mode I) of the two modes used in the dual mode engine of FIG.

5 is a Rankine cycle with a regeneration operation, the second used in the dual mode engine of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a graph of temperature / entropy of the working liquid showing a second cycle operation (mode II).

FIG. 6 is a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid power system similar to that of FIG. 1 in which two reheaters are added to a power cycle to improve performance, and which are applied to vehicles and other vehicles. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention and related components, wherein the fuel reactant is a light hydrocarbon.

FIG. 7 is a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid power system similar to FIG. 2, with the addition of two reheaters to the power cycle for improved performance, wherein the fuel reactant of the cycle is hydrogen. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and related elements.

FIG. 8 is a graph of working liquid temperature / entropy for the power cycle used in the heat engine shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, which is a Rankine cycle with regeneration operation and reheating for performance improvement.

FIG. 9 is a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid engine equipped with an electric motor drive and a dynamic turbo device using Rankine power cycle for performing a Rankine power cycle using regeneration and reheating to increase cycle efficiency and power density. It is the schematic which shows one Example of this invention characterized by this.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention featuring a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid engine with an electric motor drive and an Otto power cycle reciprocating engine.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention featuring a low-pollution or non-pollution hybrid engine with an electric motor drive and a diesel power cycle reciprocating engine.

FIG. 12 is a gas separation method for separating nitrogen from air using the rectifier and the air liquefaction apparatus of the above embodiment using one of various technologies such as a liquefaction method, a vapor pressure fluctuation adsorption method, and a membrane gas separation method. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a basic low-pollution engine replaced with a plant.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of the same device as shown in FIG. 12, with the regenerating process during the cycle operation described herein.

FIG. 12 with twin cycles featuring a bottom cycle for increased efficiency.
14 is a schematic diagram of the same device as shown in FIGS.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a standard pressure swing adsorption plant used as a gas separation plant of one of the engines shown in FIGS. 12-14.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a two-stage oxygen and nitrogen membrane permeation enrichment system for use as part of the cycle of the gas separation plant shown in FIGS. 12-14.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) F01K 25/06 F02B 29/04 K 4D047 F02B 29/04 33/00 C 33/00 43/10 B 43 / 10 73/00 A 73/00 F02D 19/02 B F02D 19/02 F02G 5/02 B F02G 5/02 F02M 25/10 B F02M 25/10 F25J 3/04 102 F25J 3/04 102 B60K 9/00 C (81) Designated countries EP (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OA (BF, BJ, CF) , CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, KE, LS, MW, SD, SZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ) BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, DK, EE , ES, FI, GB, GE, GH, HU, ID, IL, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN , YU, ZW F term (reference) 3G005 DA01 DA02 DA05 DA06 EA04 EA14 EA23 EA25 FA35 HA05 HA13 HA15 3G081 BA18 BA20 3G092 AA01 AA02 AA04 AB01 AB05 AB07 AB08 AB09 AB17 AB18 AC02 DB03 DB04 DB05 DC14 DE18S DF01 FA JA56A KA02 KA54 KA55 KA63 KA72 KB30 KE16Q KE16R MA06 MB04 MC03 MC18 MC62 PB17 PB62 PB63 PC71 4D012 CA05 CA06 CB16 CD07 CH01 CH02 CH07 CH08 4D047 AA08 AB01 CA04 DA12 DA17

Claims (30)

[Claims] 1. A hybrid engine comprising an electric motor drive in parallel with a low-pollution regenerative Rankine cycle engine combining water cooling and utilizing the product of complete combustion of oxygen and hydrogen or simple alcohol as a working liquid, Electric motor means connected to the power transmission means for receiving current from the battery means supplied with current from the alternator driven by the dynamic turbine means, and a supply port arranged to receive air from the supply section; A dynamic compression means comprising a discharge port, and means for raising the pressure of air to a value higher than its supply port; anda means for receiving air from the dynamic compression means discharge port, and an outlet. And first intercooler means also provided with means for cooling the air; A reciprocating compression means comprising a supply port and a discharge port arranged to receive air, and a means for raising the pressure of air to a value higher than the supply port, from the reciprocating compression means discharge port A second intercooler having air receiving means and an outlet, and also having air cooling means; and a means for receiving air from the second intercooler outlet and an outlet,
And a scrubber means including means for removing carbon dioxide, water, water vapor, and oil from air, a gas nitrogen cooling means, comprising: a supply port and an outlet arranged to receive air from an outlet of the scrubber means. A turbo-expander comprising a heat exchanger means fluidly connected to the heat exchanger means, an inlet and an outlet for receiving air from the heat exchanger means, and means for reducing the pressure of the air to a value lower than the inlet. A gas inlet, a gas nitrogen outlet, and a gas oxygen outlet arranged to receive air from an outlet of the turboexpander means, and means for separating gas nitrogen and gas oxygen from the air. A rectifier means, the heat exchanger means comprising a gas nitrogen inlet and a gas nitrogen outlet arranged to receive gas nitrogen from the rectifier outlet, and a gas from the rectifier outlet A turbo-expander driven dynamic compressor means arranged to receive the source gas, having an outlet, and means for increasing the pressure of gaseous oxygen to a value higher than the inlet, receiving hydrocarbon fuel from the supply means A reciprocating compression means having a supply port and a discharge port arranged so as to be capable of raising the pressure of fuel to a value higher than the supply port, and a means for receiving low-pressure water from the supply means. High-pressure water pump means having a supply port and a discharge port, and means for raising the pressure of the low-pressure water to a value higher than that of the supply port, and supplying oxygen from the turbo-expander driven dynamic compressor discharge port. A supply means for receiving high-pressure fuel from the reciprocating compressor outlet and hot water from the high-pressure hot water heater; and the high-pressure oxygen and high-pressure fuel for producing high-temperature gas of steam and carbon dioxide. Means for completely burning the gas, means for cooling the hot gas with the high-pressure water to produce a low-temperature mixture of steam and carbon dioxide, gas generating means comprising an outlet, and connected to the electric motor. Means for supplying power to the power transmission unit, comprising a supply port and an exhaust port arranged to receive the outflow gas of the gas generator, and a means for lowering the gas pressure to a value lower than the supply port. A reciprocating turbine means, comprising a supply means and an exhaust port for receiving gas from the reciprocating turbine exhaust port, and a means for lowering the gas pressure to a value lower than the supply port thereof, the dynamic type A dynamic turbine connected to an air compressor, and connected to the alternator for generating electric power of the electric motor battery; andthe water heater means, A supply means for receiving gas from the dynamic turbine exhaust port, a means for receiving cold water from the high-pressure supply means, a means for transferring heat of the gas to the cold water, a gas outlet, and a high-pressure hot water outlet. A supply means for receiving an outflow gas of the water heater, a means for receiving a coolant from a radiator outlet, and condensing steam into water to separate carbon dioxide gas, thereby cooling gas heat. Condenser means comprising means for transferring the condensed water, carbon dioxide gas, and heated coolant, and a supply arranged to receive the water at the condenser outlet. A pump having an inlet, a means for increasing the pressure of water to a value higher than its inlet, an outlet for a chilled water inlet of the water heater, and an outlet for radiator evaporative cooling water; and The means Means for receiving the warm air coolant of the vessel, means for cooling the warm air coolant with the atmosphere, means for evaporating and cooling the atmosphere using the pump evaporative cooling drainage from a spray nozzle, and outflow means for discharging the coolant. Fan means for circulating the atmosphere to absorb heat from the condenser coolant, supply means for receiving gaseous carbon dioxide from the condenser outlet, an outlet, and the pressure of the carbon dioxide. Reciprocating compressor means comprising means for raising the value above the inlet; means for receiving the carbon dioxide emissions of the reciprocating compressor; and converting the carbon dioxide to a compact liquid or solid for periodic removal. And a carbon dioxide conversion storage means. 2. A low-pollution or non-polluting exhaust internal combustion engine capable of a variety of power applications, such as vehicle driving, comprising an air inlet formed to receive air from the atmosphere surrounding the engine, and at least partially hydrogen. An air treatment device comprising: a fuel supply source comprising: a supply port connected to the air supply port; a unit for removing nitrogen from the air so that air is mainly oxygen; and an oxygen outlet. A fuel combustion device having an outlet for the combustion products to receive fuel from a source and oxygen from the air treatment device, burn the fuel and oxygen, and produce high pressure, high temperature combustion products including steam. An engine comprising: means for outputting engine power; and an exhaust port for combustion products, the apparatus comprising a combustion product expansion device connected to an exhaust port of the combustion device. 3. The engine according to claim 2, further comprising means for compressing the oxygen and the fuel before the oxygen and the fuel are sent to the combustion device. 4. A water inlet configured to receive water from at least one source, wherein the combustion device receives water from the combustion chamber, the water also including naturally generated water as one of the combustion products discharged from the combustion chamber. Wherein the water inlet has water in contact with and mixes with the combustion products and discharges from the combustor outlet, thereby reducing the temperature of the gas discharged from the combustor outlet, 3. The engine according to claim 2, wherein the engine is configured to increase a flow rate of gas discharged from a discharge port of the combustion device. 5. The means for compressing oxygen comprises means for compressing at least two of the air inlets and the air treatment so that each compressor is capable of compressing oxygen with other components in the air supplied to the air inlets. 4. The engine of claim 3, comprising at least two compressors having an intercooler between the units. 6. At least a portion of the combustion products discharged from an exhaust port of the combustion product expansion device converts the steam in the combustion products into water with a return duct to a water inlet of the combustion device. 5. The engine of claim 4 wherein the steam / water is configured to act as a working liquid in a Rankine cycle because it is sent to a condenser that condenses the steam. 7. A bypass air duct is provided between the air inlet and the combustion device, the valve including a valve capable of closing the bypass air duct, and for feeding air containing nitrogen to the combustion device. 3. The engine according to claim 2, wherein the engine is configured such that air containing nitrogen can be supplied to the combustion device when desired. 8. An electric motor and a battery connected to the electric motor and the battery so that each of the compression means can drive the compression means to compress oxygen by the electric motor and the battery. Connected to at least one expander that is in fluid communication with combustion products exhausted from an outlet of the combustion device so that the compression means can be driven to compress oxygen by the electric motor. 4. The engine of claim 3 further comprising means operable to charge the battery when the expander provides an excessive level of power beyond that required to drive the compression means for compressing the battery. 9. A compressor for increasing the pressure of at least one air between the air inlet and the air treatment device, wherein at least one passage is provided between the first compressor and the air treatment device. An intercooler that lowers the temperature of the air to be blown, the air treatment device further includes an expander downstream of the intercooler that reduces the pressure and temperature of the air to a temperature equal to or lower than the condensation point of oxygen in the air, and 3. The engine according to claim 2, wherein said oxygen outlet is configured to substantially remove nitrogen. 10. The air treatment device includes a nitrogen outlet, and the engine is configured to move between the nitrogen exhausted from the nitrogen outlet of the air treatment device and air between the expander and the air inlet. 10. The engine according to claim 9, further comprising a heat exchange device having means for exchanging heat with the heat exchanger. 11. The oxygen expander is configured to increase the pressure of oxygen because the expander is connected to an oxygen compressor disposed between the oxygen outlet of the air treatment device and the combustion device. Item 9. The engine according to Item 9. 12. The engine according to claim 9, further comprising a scrubber between said air treatment device and said air inlet for removing a refrigerable gas from air. 13. The engine according to claim 10, wherein the air treatment device includes a double tower rectifier having an oxygen outlet and a nitrogen outlet downstream of the expander. 14. At least one between the air inlet and the air treatment device.
The compressor for increasing the pressure of the air, and an intercooler between the first compressor and the air treatment device for decreasing the temperature of at least one passing air, wherein the air treatment device comprises: On the downstream side of the intercooler, there is provided an expander that reduces the pressure and temperature of the air to below the condensation point of oxygen in the air, and the oxygen outlet can substantially remove nitrogen, and the air treatment device A heat source having a nitrogen outlet and having means for exchanging heat between nitrogen discharged from the nitrogen outlet of the air treatment device and air between the expander and an air inlet; Since the inflator is connected to an oxygen compressor disposed between the oxygen outlet of the air treatment device and the combustion device, the pressure of oxygen increases, and Air supply A scrubber between the mouth for removing refrigerated gas from the air, the air treatment unit comprising a double tower rectifier having an oxygen outlet and a nitrogen outlet downstream of the expander; The engine according to claim 8. 15. The fuel is a hydrocarbon fuel comprising hydrogen, carbon and, optionally, oxygen, wherein the fuel and oxygen produce a combustion product comprising essentially steam and carbon dioxide. 3. The engine according to claim 2, wherein the engine is configured to be mixed at a stoichiometric ratio required for the engine. 16. At least a portion of the combustion products discharged from an exhaust port of the combustion product expansion device converts the steam in the combustion product into water with a return duct to a water inlet of the combustion device. Steam / water acts as a working liquid in a Rankine cycle, said condenser comprising a heat exchange liquid for removing heat from the steam, wherein the heat exchange liquid is a radiator The condenser is fluidly connected to the inside of a radiator arranged in an environment around the engine so that the heat exchange liquid can be cooled by irradiating the atmosphere from the surrounding environment to the outside of the radiator. 3. The engine according to claim 2, further comprising a second outlet water duct for spraying water into the surrounding environment and toward the outside of the radiator for evaporative cooling. 17. A low-pollution or non-polluting exhaust internal combustion engine for vehicular power and other power applications, comprising: an air inlet for receiving air from the surrounding environment; An air treatment device located downstream of the air inlet, with means for delivering from an oxygen outlet; a source of fuel containing hydrogen; an igniter; and at least one receiving fuel and oxygen. From at least one combustion chamber having a supply inlet, a piston connected to the power transmission, oscillating in the combustion chamber, and at least one exhaust port for removing combustion products in the combustion chamber. The engine that consists. 18. A premixer for receiving at least oxygen and steam at an upstream side of one of the inlets of the combustion chamber, wherein at least a part of the steam is generated in the combustion chamber as a part of a combustion product. And a compressor that is sent from the exhaust port to a premixer, and that increases a pressure of at least one air between the supply port and the air treatment device, wherein the first compressor and the air treatment device And at least one intercooler for lowering the temperature of the air passing therethrough, wherein the air treatment device reduces the pressure and temperature of the air downstream of the intercooler to below the condensation point of oxygen in the air. A lowering inflator and its oxygen outlet is capable of substantially removing nitrogen; the air treatment device is provided with a nitrogen outlet; and the engine is provided with a nitrogen outlet from the air treatment device. A heat exchange device having means for exchanging heat between the discharged nitrogen and air between the expander and an air inlet, wherein the expander is provided between an oxygen outlet of the air treatment device and the combustion device. Connected to an oxygen compressor provided in the air conditioner, the pressure of oxygen increases, and a scrubber for removing refrigible gas from air is provided between the air treatment device and the air inlet. Item 18. The engine according to Item 17. 19. An upstream side of one of the inlets of the combustion chamber, wherein oxygen is produced from an oxygen outlet of the air treatment device, and fuel is produced from the fuel supply source as part of a combustion product in the combustion chamber. A premixer for receiving the steam sent from the combustion chamber exhaust port, and since the premixer can mix fuel, oxygen, and steam before being sent to the inlet of the combustion chamber, the exhaust gas of the Otto cycle internal combustion engine can be mixed. 18. The engine of claim 17, wherein said engine is configured to eliminate nitrogen oxides therein. 20. An oxygen outlet of the air treatment device upstream of one inlet of the combustion chamber so that oxygen and steam can be mixed by a premixer before being fed into the inlet of the combustion chamber. A premixer that receives steam from the combustion chamber, which is produced as a part of a combustion product in the combustion chamber, and receives oxygen from the combustion chamber. Claims configured to include an inlet for a second fuel configured to be introduced so that the fuel can be burned at an essentially constant pressure and eliminate nitrogen oxides in the exhaust of a diesel cycle internal combustion engine. Item 18. The engine according to Item 17. 21. A low-pollution or non-polluting exhaust internal combustion engine for a variety of power uses, such as vehicle driving and stationary power generation, comprising: an air inlet; a source of a fuel comprising at least partially hydrogen; An air treatment device comprising: a supply port connected to the air supply port; means for removing nitrogen from the air so as to reduce the nitrogen content of the air at the air supply port; and a rich oxygen outlet; Receiving fuel from the fuel supply, and oxygen from an outlet of the air treatment device, with a product outlet, and combusting the fuel and oxygen to produce high pressure, high temperature combustion products including steam. An engine comprising a fuel combustion device. 22. The air treatment device comprising: means for liquefying at least a portion of the air; means for separating a liquefied portion of the air from a non-liquefied portion of the air; 22. The engine according to claim 21, further comprising means for sending to an outlet. 23. A compressor for increasing the pressure of at least one air between the inlet and the air treatment device, wherein at least one of the compressors passes between the first compressor and the air treatment device. An intercooler that lowers the temperature of the air to be blown, the air treatment device further includes an expander downstream of the intercooler that reduces the pressure and temperature of the air to a temperature equal to or lower than the condensation point of oxygen in the air, and 22. The engine according to claim 21, further comprising a rich oxygen outlet. 24. The engine according to claim 21, wherein the air treatment device is positioned so as to be able to contact air from the supply port, and is provided with a material capable of adsorbing and desorbing an air constituent gas. 25. The material adsorbs and desorbs nitrogen based on the pressure of air adjacent to the material, and selectively removes oxygen-enriched air from the bed and sends it to the rich oxygen outlet. At least two material beds with means,
25. The engine according to claim 24, further comprising means for sequentially increasing and decreasing the pressure of the air adjacent to the bed to a value around atmospheric pressure. 26. The air treatment device comprises at least one membrane having an oxygen permeability different from the nitrogen permeability, wherein air is applied to one side of the membrane, and oxygen-enriched gas and nitrogen-enriched gas are provided on both sides of the membrane, respectively. 22. The engine of claim 21, wherein the engine is configured to collect oxygen rich gas and to feed oxygen rich gas to the oxygen rich outlet. 27. The engine of claim 26, wherein two or more membranes are installed to continuously generate an air flow through the membrane to obtain a richer oxygen or nitrogen. 28. A supply compressor having means for increasing the pressure of air supplied to the air treatment device above atmospheric pressure is connected to the supply port, and the permeability of oxygen of the membrane is increased from nitrogen. Installing a membrane in parallel between the outlet of the feed compressor and the rich oxygen outlet and a second membrane between the rich oxygen outlet and the ultra-rich oxygen outlet,
The oxygen content of the gas on the side opposite to the rich oxygen outlet of the membrane is made larger than that of the rich oxygen outlet side of the second membrane, and the ultra-rich oxygen outlet is connected to the rich oxygen outlet of the air treatment device. The engine according to claim 27, configured as follows. 29. The air treatment device comprising an ionic solid solution allowing movement of oxygen ions therein, comprising an electronic ceramic membrane disposed in parallel between the air inlet and the rich oxygen outlet, 22. The engine of claim 21, wherein said air treatment device comprises means for at least partially raising the temperature of said electronic ceramic membrane from heat generated within said air treatment device. 30. An outlet of the combustion device comprising means for returning at least a portion of the combustion products to the combustion device so that the engine can operate at least partially in a closed cycle; 22. The engine of claim 21 wherein the means for returning to the combustion device comprises means for exchanging heat with another working liquid from a turbine in another closed Rankine cycle engine to cool the combustion products.